Today's image is titled Polar Plunge on Saturday, February 16. Organized by and on behalf of Special Olympics Wisconsin, this annual charity event at Olin Park dares intrepid folks to take a dip in a special pool carved from the ice of the Madison lake.
Nichole Fromm describes the scene:
The water was maybe 6 feet deep. I remember clearly looking up through the brown swirly murk and bubbles at the sun shining and thinking, "I made it." That was a little premature. The ten feet to the ice-encrusted ladder back out of the lake was the longest ten feet I've ever swum, and I think I sort of yelped the whole way.
And ran all the way up the hill to the waiting hot tubs. Here, here's my hand and the tip of my nose.
The hot tubs weren't very hot, and were full of Lake Monona muck, but they did the trick. A few minutes later, I went back into the freezing air -- this is when it started to feel cold -- and dashed back into the changing tent.
This isn't the only report from this swimming party on the south side of Madison. One Mad Rollin' Doll also comments on the chilly sensation of the plunge. "Expecting the worst -- everyone said my lungs would shut down -- I was pleasantly surprised when I hit the icy waters and it didn't feel as cold as I expected," she writes. "Don't get me wrong. It was cold. So cold that my body was numb as I made my way to the wooden steps to get out. Once out of the icy lake, we made our way to the hot tubs."
Another Madison blogger, meanwhile, notes political sentiments on display at the gathering, along with another by Libby, a two-dozen strong by Rob and Jessie Stankey.
This is the latest entry of Madison Snaps: photos of Madison-area events and locations. The send a message. There is no compensation for Madison Snaps photos, which are © to the respective photographers.
